June 19, 2014
50 cents Jefferson County, Colorado Volume 30, Issue 51
wheatridgetranscript.com
Page 10
A publication of
Council supports healthy habits
WELCOMING THE RIDERS
By Hugh Johnson
The neighboring City of Golden played host to the finishing line of this year’s Ride the Rockies. The 471-mile, six-day bicycle odyssey took riders over many of the state’s biggest passes. . Photo by Glenn Wallace
Criterium collection Wheat Ridge 2020 taps into cycling history By Clarke Reader
creader@colorado communitymedia.com Summertime in Colorado is bicycle season, and the city of Wheat Ridge is partnering with the Ridge at 38 at Wheat Ridge 2020 to launch the first annual Ridge at 38 Criterium. The 1.15-mile Bronze level Rocky Mountain Road Cup race will begin at 7:30 a.m. on June 22. The race will begin and end in front of Wheat Ridge Cyclery, 7085 W. 38th Ave. The race is sanctioned by the Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado (BRAC) and USA Cycling and will feature a $1,000 prize purse. In addition to the race, the Criterium will have food trucks for sampling, a craft beer garden, children’s activities and live bluegrass music from local band Quick Draw Home Grown Music. The activities will take place on the Green at 38 on West
IF YOU GO WHAT: Ridge at 38 Criterium WHERE: Wheat Ridge Cyclery, 7085 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge WHEN: Saturday, June 22 Races begin at 7:30 a.m. COST: $30 in advance, $40 day of event INFORMATION: 720-259-1030 or ridgeat38.com/ play 38th Avenue between High Court and Upham Street. “There is a lot of history and roots in the community around this race,” said Mara Owen, events and communications coordinator with Wheat Ridge 2020. “We wanted to take that history and build upon it.” Owen said that Wheat Ridge Cyclery owner Ron Kiefel has run a similar race for many years and Wheat Ridge 2020 wanted to tap into that legacy of riding. According to information provided by Owen, the Rocky Mountain Road Cup Program (which replaces the old BAR/BAT racing competition) is a season-long points competition for BRAC individual and club
members. “Racers and teams compete for trophies that are awarded at the Road Season Party in the fall of each year and BRAC members can accumulate points to win a trophy by participating in the Ridge at 38 Criterium,” the information states. The event will include seven separate races throughout the day with different categories of racers competing at various times. The races build in skill until the last race, which is for professional level men in the highest three categories. For those who enjoy riding but don’t want to compete, there will be a free community fun ride as well. “We’ve gotten a lot of interest and are getting a lot of volunteers, which is so important,” Owen said. Britta Fisher, executive director of Wheat Ridge 2020, said that the event will be a lot of fun for families and is a great opportunity for people to make use of the patios and outdoor seating along 38th. Registration is $30 in advance and $40 on the day of the race. For more information call 720-259-1030 or visit ridgeat38. com/play.
At the June 9 meeting, council passed a resolution committing the city to encourage healthy eating and active living in Wheat Ridge through policy and support. The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities and Towns Campaign of Colorado is the product of a partnership between LiveWell Colorado and the Colorado Municipal League, funded by a grant from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease and Pulmonary Disease Grant Program. The campaign asks municipalities to encourage healthy living by introducing policy in three areas: active living in the community, providing greater access to healthy food and encouraging healthy lifestyles in the workplace. The HEAL campaign was brought for discussion at the June 2 study session and the resolution was approved a week later. According to Julie George, the director of the HEAL campaign, there are four levels of commitment municipalities fall under: Elite (the highest), Fit, Active and Eager. Cities and towns are assigned levels based on how many policies they introduce to support the campaign’s three areas. Wheat Ridge already has a head start on other municipalities since the city adopted policies that expand urban agriculture, such as allowing residents to grow urban gardens in any district. Councilwoman Tracy Langworthy of District 4 expressed her gratitude to fellow District 4 Councilwoman Genevieve Wooden for bringing the HEAL campaign to council’s attention. She said that the commitments the city has previously made to healthy living have already drawn younger people to the community. “We are really starting to see an influx of younger people coming to our community and what they want in their community is different,” she said. “They do want multimodal, they want to be able to walk.” The resolution passed unanimously.
New fees to pay for parks
POSTAL ADDRESS
By Hugh Johnson
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.
Wheat Ridge City Council approved the first reading of a resolution to introduce a schedule for fees in lieu of parkland dedications at the June 9 meeting. City staff brought the measure before
council Monday evening. The primary motivation for the change is to do away with inconsistencies in the city’s parkland fee in lieu of dedication structure. Wheat Fees continues on Page 2